Nail holder for shingles



Jan. 28, 1930. w. J. PARKER NAIL HOLDER FOR SHINGLES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 8, 1929 WITNESSES a 2 1 w v m m m R 5m mm A 1 Jan. 28, 1930. w J PARKER 1,745,315

NAIL HOLDER -FOR SHING'LES Filed Feb. 8, 1 929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 T 5 INVENTOR WITNESSES I 7/ BY M- ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 28, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM J. PARKER, OF WATERBURY, CONNECTICUT NAIL HOLDER FOR SHINGLES Application filed February a, 1929. Serial No. 338,551.

being such that the nail is automatically held in the correct position for driving when the shingle has been correctly positioned.

Another object, more specifically, is to provide a nail holder for asbestos shingles, slate shingles and other artificial shingles, the holding means including a swingable member for normally holding the nail flatwise against the shingle and automatically guiding the nail to a correct driving positlon 0 when the shingle is moved to a position near the vertical, whereby the workman can hold the shingle in correct position with one hand and use a hammer with the other hand.

In the accompanying drawings,-

Figure 1 is a substantially top plan view of part of the roof supplied with shingles having nail holders embodying the invention Figure 2 is a sectional view through Figure 1 on the line 22, the same being on an 0 enlarged scale;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary plan view of part of a shingle with a holder shown ina folded position applied thereto;

Figure 4 is a sectional view through the Figure 3 approximately on the line M, the same beingon a somewhat enlarged scale;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through Figure 1 approximately on the line 5-5;

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 1 but showing a different form of shingle with a difierent means for fastening the nail holder to the shingle; A

Figure 7 is a plan View of one of the shin-- gles shown in Figure 6, the same being on an enlarged scale and illustrating the arrangement of the nail holder used in Figure 6;

Figure 8 is a sectional view through Figure 9 on the line 88;

Figure 9 is a fragmentary sectional View through Figure 6 on the line 99;

Figure 10 is a fragmentary sectional View through Figure 6 on the line 10-10.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, 1 indicates an artificial shingle, as for instance, an asphalt shingle of a wellknown make. In placing these shingles on a steep roof it is necessary to hold the shingle in place and to hold the nail or nails in place while a workman drives the nail to its final position. On a cold day it is very difiicult to hold the hammer, the shingle and the nail. In the present instance, means have been presented for automatically holding the nail in position so that the workman may hold the shingle in one hand and may use the hammer with the other hand. As shown in the drawings each shingle has been provided with one nail, though, if desired, two or more nails could be used without departing from the spirit of the invention. The various nails 2 also may be of any desired type but preferably with a comparatively flat head so that 7 when the nail is lying substantially parallel with the shingle, as shown in Figure 4, it will not offer much of a projection, so that other shingles may be stacked thereon. The nail 3 is threaded through apertures 4 and 5 of a supporting plate 6, said supporting plate being bent at 7 to provide a base 8 which is secured to the shingle 1 in any desired man- .ner, as for instance, a staple 9. Theplate 6 is provided witha right-angle portion 10 which acts as a base for holding the plate substantially at right angles to shingle 1 when the nail is ready to be driven. Preferably, the holding structure which consists of the base 8, plate 6 and brace 10 is made from paper, though it could be made from some other material. When the parts are folded they assume the position shown in ure 5, the wei ht of the nail 3 will cause the plate 6 with its brace 10 to swing away from base 8 under the action of gravity. If it were not for the brace 10 plate 6 would. swing completely over until it is laid flatwise against the shingle below base 8, but the brace 10 prevents this action and stops the movement of the nail when it reaches substantially the position shown in Fig. 5. The workman may then strike the nail with a hammer and drive the nail in to any desired extent. During-the driving operation the paper plate 6 and brace 10 are crushed, but this is of no consequence, as these members have already performed-their function.

In Fi s. 6 to 10 inclusive will be seen a modified form of invention wherein the same inventive idea is disclosed but with the parts applied to stiff shingles 11. These shingles may bemade from slate, cement, asbestos,

tile or other material. Each of these shingles is shown provided with three apertures 12, and a holder 13 may be associated with each aperture 12, though preferably a holder is associated with two apertures in each shingle, namely, aperture 12' and 12". When applying the invention to shingles of this type the base 8 is cemented by tar, cement or some other form of cement 8 to the shingle so that when the shingle is moved toward a vertical W position the nail will swing to a substantially right-angle position, and in fact, will swing s 6, 1s very desirable, as 1t in effect prevents to such a position that the lower end of the nail will actually project into the aperture 12' or 12", as the case may be. It is understood that the nails may be of any desired length and shape but preferably with a comparatively narrow head, so that a number of shingles may be stacked. This construction, when used on stifi shingles as shown in Fig.

' breakage of shingles, asthe nail is always in correct position, and conse uently, may be more easily driven to its nal position without breaking the shingle. Adjacent the holes or apertures 12 and 12" are notches 14 and 15, which register with similar notches in adjacent shingles. These notches accommodate the storm nail 16 which is preferably of copper, though it could be made from some other comparatively soft metal. The holder .16 is identical with the holder 13. Instead of causing the-nail to fit into an aperture similar to apertures 12 and 12", the holder supports the nail with the head 17 near the shin le so that when the holder swings outwa ly the head will move into a depression 18 formed in the-shingle. This will leave the 110.11 16 standing upright, so that adjacent shingles may be slidto a point in contact therewith in order that the nail will project into apertures of adjacent shingles, as clearly shown in Figs. 6 and 10. When this takes place the parts will appear as shown in Fig. 1.0 and at the proper time the workman said base, said plate having astrikes the projecting part of the nail 16 so as to bend the same over against one of the adjacent shingles. This will provide a lock to prevent this part of the shingle from leaving the next adjacent shingle, while the nails in holes 12' and 12" will rigidly secure the shingle to the supporting part of theroof. As shown in Figure 8, each of the holes, 12, 12' and'12" is made as shown in Figure 8, namely, with a countersunk portion 19 merging into the aperture, whereby the countersunk portion accommodates all or most of the head of the nail. This presents a smooth surface over which the next adj acent shingle extends. It will be understood that applicants invention does notinclude the detail construction of the shingle except for the countersunk portion 18 or the countersunk portion 19.

What I claim is 1. A nail holder for shingles, comprising a supporting structure for a nail having a portion swingable from'one position to the other, and means for holding said'supporting structure substantially permanently on the shingle. I Y 2. A nail holder for shingles, comprising a plate formed with apertures fonreceiving a nail, a brace connected with said plate and a base connected with said plate, said brace acting to hold the plate substantially at right angles to the base when in operative position. 3. A'n'ail holder for shingles, comprising a base and means for securing the base flatwise against a shingle, an apertured plate normally lying flatwise against said base and .hingedly connected thereto at one edge, therease at the juncture with said extension being bent so that the plate normally lies flat against the base, said .plate having a pair of aligned apertures for receivi a nail, whereby when said shingle is hel substantially verticallysaid plate will swingxgway from nt portion acting as a brace and automatically moving to a right-angle position from the plate vhen released, whereby as the plate swings away from the base said brace will check the swinging movemeht. when the nail has reached a substantially right-angle position to the shingle.

5. A nail holder for shingles, comprising foldable means adapted to be connected with i a shingle, said fol able .means including an apertured member for holding a nail, and a .base of paper having an extension acting as a holding plate, said holding plate being normally bent so as to lie flatwise against said base but capable of be ng swung to a position at right angles to the base, said plate having apertures for receiving a nail, said plate of paper having an extension or flange at one edge normally folded against the plate but by reason of the resiliency of the material automatically swinging to a position at right angles to the plate when released, whereby it may act as a brace for holding the nail at substantially right angles to the shingle when the shingle has been moved 'to a position greater than a angle.

WILLIAM J. PARKER. 

